Telematics generally refers to the integration of telecommunications and informatics, and is often described in the context of sending and receiving information about moving objects by means of telecommunication devices. A well-known use of telematics is in regard to vehicles, and with control of moving vehicles, such as haulage trucks. Telematics are of particular use in industries such as fleet management, which might also include tracking the location and operation of ships, trains, planes, containers, and other equipment.
Devices such as Global Positioning Systems (GPS) can be used to provide additional information beyond that provided by the vehicle itself. Accelerometers are also sometimes used to determine vectors of acceleration or the change in speed of a particular, e.g. vehicle or other equipment. However, a problem arises when the accelerometer is not properly aligned with, or calibrated against a true dimension, such as the true forward direction of a vehicle, since the measurements obtained may not accurately reflect the operation of the vehicle. Compensating for such discrepancies can be complex, requiring computationally expensive calculations of angle cosines, and the resultant accelerometers can be difficult to install and maintain, and in some instances it may not be possible to mathematically compensate for the discrepancies. This is the general area that embodiments of the invention are intended to address.